Christmas for me is all about long days, warm nights, outside play in the dark, a bath or a swim and then a chapter or two of a story read aloud to the whole family. Then there's the summer camping trip where a read-aloud book after dinner is essential! All of which means that Christmas stories full of snow and fur lined coats feel almost surreal. But we love them anyway and today's selection are good for both hemispheres.

Here are a few books that capture an Australian Christmas and do it so well that they’ll appeal to children and adults wherever they live around the world, even if they’re buried in snow for Christmas. (Although to be fair they could also result in a yearning for some sunshine.)